2,300 miners at Chile's Escondida copper mine - the largest in the world -have been out on strike since 22nd July, and were joined by 7,000contractors on 27th July. The mine is privately owned by Australian firmBHP.

Workers at Escondida are demanding a rise in monthly production bonuses,and initially aimed for $11,ooo per worker to be paid out by the end ofthe year. BHP have declared the strike illegal, as bonuses arediscretionary and fall outside the collective contract and strictanti-labour laws in Chile prevent workers from striking outside of thecollective negotiating agreement. The union rejected BHP's offer of$6,000, which has since been lowered to $5,600 per worker. The strikecontinued, with the union lowering it's demand to $8,700, but BHP are nowrefused to negotiate while workers are still downing tools. Today, theunion has put the $5,600 offer out to be voted on, and if accepted by theworkers, the strike will be over. The union is also demanding protectionfor workers who contract work-related illnesses, removal of surveillancecameras throughout the mine, and improved punch-clocks which monitor their12 hour shifts.

The Escondida strike is yet another case of workers' struggle throughoutthe mining industry in Chile and the rest of the world, as workers aredemanding their share of record profits. Workers in Zambia and Indonesiahave also been striking against private firms such as Anglo-American andFreeport McMoran.

Industry bosses are keen to bring an end to the Escondida strike as theyfear a success for the workers here could fuel further strikes acrossChile. At another major Chilean copper mine, Collahuasi, workers staged a24hr stoppage over the weekend in protest against anti-union measures,pressure being placed on workers, and bosses attempts to negotiate withworkers outside of the collective union contract. Collahuasi workers havepreviously held a 33-day strike in December 2010.

The state-run Coldeco mines have also seen their first walk-outs in over20 years, prompting the increasingly unpopular President Pinera to meetwith union leaders and assure them that Coldeco will not be privatised.Previous strikes at Coldeco saw sub-contractors demanding improvedconditions. Signs outside the Escondida mine are calling for the miningindustry to be re-nationalised.

The miners strikes form part of a wave of growing unrest in Chile, asstudents and environmentalists have also been protesting against the rightwing Pinera government.